OpenAI Backs Bipartisan Frontiers Act Aiming to Regulate AI Safety

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers has gained industry support for their AI safety proposal in the FRONTIER Act. OpenAI publicly endorsed key provisions of the bill on September 15, 2026, specifically the requirement that independent verification organizations evaluate AI safety.

The FRONTIER Act, introduced by Rep. Jay Obernolte and Rep. Lori Trahan, aims to replace state-level AI regulations with a single federal standard for powerful AI models. The legislation creates a tiered regulatory framework focusing on larger developers who exceed $50 million in revenue and have spent more than $1 billion on AI development over 36 months.

Developers meeting these criteria would face new obligations, including publishing safety frameworks, conducting annual audits, and reporting critical incidents to federal authorities. The very largest developers must retain licensed independent verification organizations for ongoing external assessment of their systems.